FBFF: Truth in Advertising

We approach the end of another week, which I'm looking forward to since we're having an apartment warming party tomorrow night. This week's FBFF (Fashion Beauty Friend Friday), a group of questions organized Katy of Modly Chic around a relevant topic for bloggers to answer, is on blogger authenticity.  You can check out her site for more answers to the question and to find out more about FBFF.
 

1. Most readers and fellow fashion bloggers value authenticity in the blogs they read. How would you describe blog/blogger authenticity?

For me, much of this comes down to voice- does the writing match up to the way it sounds like someone would speak, and in case of a longtime read, does the voice remain consistent?  It should sound like a real person is writing posts, as opposed to something that sounds like it was written for an ad or a fashion magazine spread.  I suppose I'll put more time into vising someone's blog that makes me feel like if we met up in real life we could hang out and go out for drinks, maybe watch reality television together.

2. When it comes to your blog how to you infuse it with that true/authentic feeling?


I don't think I've ever really thought much about purposefully adding authenticity and truth here, but I'd like to think that it comes naturally- does that count as being authentic?  I just think of this as communicating with a friend, which is how the blog started off- me and a couple friends goofing off and talking about clothes to each other on the internet.  I do try to edit for coherence which does not always happen when I speak, but that's about it.  Also, while I do edit myself in terms of picking pictures that are the most flattering/ least blurry (which I'm guessing that most people do), I'm posting pictures of what I actually wore, without attempting to photoshop anything (I don't have the skills to do it really, although sometimes I try to take out the occasional wrinkle in my skirt).  And I will post outfits that I feel questionable about in terms of how I like it and how it photographed, not just the ones that I feel really positive about.


3. Have you stopped following a blog in the last three months? What made you lose interest?

While they haven't dropped totally off my radar, I have noticed a few blogs that I've stopped feeling as invested in or visit less frequently.  I think part of this is that now that I've discovered more and more blogs that I'd like to read and it's impossible to keep up with everything, so somewhere along the line choices need to be made.  Another part is that as I've started to blog I find myself more interested in people that I feel like I can relate to better and may want to establish more of a connection with than just clicking through and looking at pictures.

4. We can't communicate effectively on our blogs, something we don't live in real life... what are some ways you try to live an authentic life?


Much like in #2, I don't think I've ever really thought about living an authentic life, but I suppose I do try to live a life that I would like to live instead of trying to fit into someone else's ideas for how I should live my life or giving in to peer pressure.  To be fair, I don't think there really is a lot of peer pressure in my life- I dress somewhat differently than a lot of grad students, but no one's ever given me crap about it or about caring what I wear.

5. Give a shout-out... Which bloggers do you think are truly genuine and why?

Just to pick a few (so that you know if we ever meet up, we should totally go out for drinks), Kendi Everyday, Sydney of The Daybook, Erin of Work With What You've Got, Kyla of Blue Collar Catwalk, Linda of The Auspicious Life, Indiana of Adored Austin and Laura of Ruby Bastille, although the truth is that this list could stretch on and on, since there's a lot of really great blogs out there that convey a sense of being genuine.  They all seem like people who are very much themselves and not an internet persona that they're putting on.

You can find out what other bloggers are thinking about these questions on Modly Chic, and read more about Fashion/Beauty Friend Friday here.

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